Decatur Book Festival

This weekend I spent two days at the Write Choice Services booth during the Decatur Book Festival having lots of fun. On Saturday, WCS owner Tim Morrison broadcast his Internet radio show, Write Here Write Now, all day interviewing authors in 15-minute slots. The rest of us talked with the new authors, seasoned authors, book business professionals and avid readers that stopped by the booth over the two days.

Besides chatting about the books our visitors had written or plan to write one day, we sold several of Tim's fourth and latest book, Writing Secrets: Essential Steps to Discover How to Start. I've recently read the book for myself and I like that it assumes one knows s/he has a book to write but doesn't yet know what to write about. It suggests ways to narrow in on that topic and begin writing.

Things were so busy at our table that I didn't attend any author events, but I did manage to pick up some new reading material.

First, I attended the book launch party for The Whole Fiasco, the compilation of tall tales written by fifth and sixth graders at KIPP Strive Academy in Atlanta (the program is in partnership with The Wren's Nest, the home of Joel Chandler Harris, in West End). Two students did a reading and all of the students autographed books. Such fun! Though I'm familiar with many of the stories I'm still looking forward to reading them all again.

The Wren's Nest was selling its other book as well. Midnight Consumption is the literary journal produced this year by high schoolers.

From the Emerging Writers tent at the Festival, I picked up The Crackers: Early Days of Atlanta Baseball by Tim Darnell. Maybe I'll read it during the playoffs.

And, finally, I'll pretend to be a Decatur resident as I participate in Decatur's 2011 On the Same Page program by reading The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. I haven't read this book since elementary school and I'm so excited to read it again. Several events are part of this program.

I'm glad that this year instead of hearing about the largest independent book festival in the nation second-hand, I experienced it for myself. I'm already looking forward to next year's.

Decatur Book Festival

If you're going to be in Atlanta for Labor Day Weekend and you're not planning to come to the Decatur Book Festival, change your plans. It's going to be the place to be Saturday and Sunday. From 10-6 on Saturday and noon to 6 on Sunday, you can attend performances, cooking demonstrations, poetry readings, author talks and book signings. Plus, there will be a street fair and that's where I'll be most of the time. I'll be sitting with Write Choice Services. Mainly we'll be there because we love writing and love writers, and one of the things we do best is help writers write (and a host of other things). If you're there stop by and see me.

I'm also planning to see a couple of my favorite authors speak. In addition, I'm really excited to attend the book launch party for The Whole Fiasco, the book produced through the writing program at KIPP Strive Academy and The Wren's Nest that I've been lucky to be a part of for the past two years. I can only speak for the fabulousness of my own student's story, but if that's any indication, the entire book should be a very impressive story collection, especially considering the age group of the authors (fifth and sixth graders).

Overall, the Decatur Book Festival is sure to be a good time.

Write Here Write Now

For my jobs, I've interviewed countless people over the years about one thing or another. Talking to people about what they do and love has always been a lot of fun for me. One of the things I like best is when I learn something unexpected about someone, usually during small talk at the beginning or end of an interview. Aside from job interviews and the occasional meeting with a client where they're deciding who to hire for a certain project, I've never really been on the side of the table where I ask few or no questions, but give all the answers.

I was thrilled and honored to be invited to be on Write Here Write Now, an Internet radio show hosted by Tim Morrison, my boss at Write Choice Services. Each Tuesday morning he speaks to people who have written a book (or more than one), are currently writing a book or are planning to write one someday. I appeared on the show last Tuesday, July 5, with Russ Chapman, a fiction writer (he is absolutely hilarious and writes wonderful, humorous stuff. He's definitely worth a read). Together we talked about the creative process and the differences between writing fiction and creative nonfiction, the genre of my thesis. It's been several years since I worked on and finished that project, and it was fun to remember what that process was all about.

Though there's always the option to listen live to Write Here Write Now on Tuesdays at 10 am, the show ends up on the website after about a day and a half. In case you're interested, here's the interview I did.